Ruto’s new Mr Fix-it? How Sakaja helped resolve fuel stalemate

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has emerged as a key political troubleshooter for President William Ruto after revelations of the crucial role he played in brokering a deal that ended the nationwide transport strike.

The Star has established that the State House reached out to Sakaja to help steer the talks after negotiations between the government and transport operators collapsed dramatically on Monday evening.

President Ruto was away on a State visit to Kazakhstan as the two-day disruption threatened to escalate further, intensifying pressure on the government to find a quick resolution.

Transport operators who attended the talks said they welcomed Sakaja’s involvement, arguing that his presence restored confidence in a process they felt was losing credibility.

 "In as much as we were on strike, we are also suffering. We have loans which we are struggling to pay,” an operator who attended the meeting said.

Most of those involved in the strike operate within Nairobi and have been working closely with Sakaja’s administration on route allocation, matatu stages, licensing and enforcement.

That existing relationship is said to have helped build trust between the governor and the operators at a time when tensions with the national government were escalating.

“We don’t trust the government. Let me just say so. That is why we needed the governor there,” Matatu Owners Association president Albert Karakacha said.

On Monday evening, talks convened by Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi and his Transport counterpart Davis Chirchir at Transcom House ended in chaos after matatu operators publicly rejected the government’s proposals.

“With all due respect, we respect everyone here. We did not come to set anybody up. We are law-abiding citizens, so there’s no deal. The strike is still on,” East Africa Tour Guides and Drivers Association CEO Kennedy Kaunda said.

In an embarrassing moment for the government, Kaunda openly rejected claims that a deal had been reached to end the strike.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said it was after the collapse of the talks that Sakaja was called into action by both sides in an attempt to salvage the situation.

The operators insisted that Sakaja oversee and guarantee any agreement reached between them and the government.

“That is why the governor is our guarantor, so that if the government does not do their part, we go back to the streets,” Karakacha told The Star.

President Ruto, who is currently overseas, is said to have personally engaged the governor through phone calls as efforts intensified to unlock the stalemate.

The Star established that Sakaja spent the entire night before Tuesday in closed-door negotiations with transport stakeholders and senior government officials to strike a compromise.

The talks also involved Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Energy CS Wandayi and Treasury CS John Mbadi.

Throughout the night, Sakaja reportedly kept President Ruto updated on the progress of the negotiations.

Sources said the operators raised concerns over rising fuel prices, declining earnings and pressure from banks over loan repayments for their vehicles.

By Tuesday morning, after hours of negotiations, a deal had finally been reached and the operators agreed to call off the strike.

During the announcement ending the paralysis, matatu stakeholders publicly declared Sakaja as the guarantor of the agreement.

Sakaja also appealed to banks and financial institutions to ease pressure on operators struggling with rising operational costs.

“To financial institutions, we are in very extraordinary times. The crisis is global. Let’s not take it out on our people. People are struggling, let’s not auction them. Let’s go back to work as we negotiate so that we get a solution and address the issues at hand, as their guarantor in this negotiation,” he said.

He noted that the strike had caused major disruptions across the country, affecting transport, businesses, schools and the movement of farm produce.

“We know people are suffering. Children have not been able to go to school, farm produce is stuck, the sick are stranded and businesses have been closed. I want to assure you that we have found a way forward after deliberations,” he added.

The governor’s intervention has now elevated his profile within the Kenya Kwanza administration, with insiders describing him as one of Ruto’s emerging political fixers ahead of the 2027 general election.

Political observers say Sakaja’s close ties with influential business groups and matatu operators make him an important ally for the President, particularly in Nairobi where urban political dynamics are expected to shape the next election.

The matatu sector remains one of the most influential grassroots networks in the city, with the ability to shape public opinion and political mobilisation.

Sakaja’s role in ending the strike is now being viewed within political circles as further evidence of his growing influence in President Ruto’s political operations.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Governor Johnson Sakaja’s intervention in resolving the transport strike signals his growing political influence within President William Ruto’s inner circle. By stepping into failed negotiations and securing trust from matatu operators, Sakaja positioned himself as a bridge between the government and grassroots players. The episode boosts his profile ahead of 2027 and highlights the political weight of Nairobi’s transport sector in shaping public opinion and urban electoral mobilisation.